Innocent victims of the spying spat between Indonesia and Australia include a major Queensland hospital, a children's cancer association and an anti-slavery charity, whose websites have been attacked by Indonesian hackers.

Schools and community groups were also among at least 100 Australian websites hit by the wave of cyber-attacks, which were launched in retaliation to the Australian embassy surveillance affair.

One of the hacker groups has vowed to continue the campaign unless Australia comes clean about its use of surveillance equipment in its Jakarta embassy.

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‘‘Tell your government [Australia] we will stop [hacking] if there is clear recognition [of] spying on Indonesia,’’ a spokesman for the Java Cyber Army said when contacted through Facebook.

A spokesman for the 524-bed Wesley Hospital in Brisbane, run by UnitingCare Health, said the cyber-attack was fixed quickly and there was no chance that patient information had been compromised, though some patients may have experienced minor inconvenience.

Asked why the Wesley might have been targeted, the spokesman, Jason Hanrahan, said he had "no idea whatsoever, other than [it] being a large fairly high-profile hospital".

Attacks were launched on Sunday by groups including the Indonesian Cyber Army and Java Cyber Army, which claim affiliation with the notorious global "hacktivist" network Anonymous.

The sites were hijacked and posted with messages such as: "This is not a joke or a dream, this is f---ing reality. Stop illegal spying on Indonesian [sic]."

The attacks follow Fairfax Media reports that Australian embassies across Asia, including the Jakarta embassy, were being used for widespread electronic surveillance in a secretive operation unknown to most embassy staff.

The revelations prompted an angry response from Jakarta.

The attacks against Australian websites appear to have been indiscriminate, ranging from charities to small businesses and even in one case a strip club.

Some small not-for-profit groups were left dismayed by the cyber-attacks.

These included the Children's Tumour Foundation of Australia, which supports people and families affected by the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis.

Its chief executive, Lisa Cheng, said: "I can't imagine why someone would attack a small charity. I suppose we're just an easy target."

Another victim was The Freedom Project, a Sydney-based charity that combats global slavery and people-trafficking.

"Why a humanitarian organisation?" said director Michael Newton-Brown. "I just don't get it."

Other targets included South Australian Police Legacy, which helps the families of police officers who have died, and the Rats of Tobruk Association Victoria.

Many sites were still affected on Monday afternoon.

There appears to be little the victims of these attacks can do. A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said the agency investigated cyber-attacks launched from overseas only if they were made against government bodies.

Fairfax Media was seeking further clarification from the Attorney-General's Department on Monday.